Voice of the Tube silenced

The woman who became the "Voice of the Tube" has been sacked after allegedly criticising London Underground (LU).

Ms Clarke also made a series of spoof announcements on a website promoting her voiceover work.

An LU spokesman said: "It's not because of the spoof announcements. It's because she has criticised the Underground system."

"Some of the spoof announcements are very funny. But Emma is a bit silly to go round slagging off her client's services."

In one announcement, Ms Clarke, a mother of two who has worked for the Underground since 1999, says: "We would like to remind our American tourist friends that you are almost certainly talking too loudly."

She said she was "disappointed and perplexed" that LU had not contacted her but instead had decided to dismiss her via the media.

"I can't get in touch with anyone at LU to explain I was wildly misquoted," she said.

This news saddened me a bit - she was having a laugh, after all. I guess it was the 'people in high places shouldn't do silly things' factor though, not that 'being the voice of the London Underground' is a particularly high place.

Unfortunately it let the Underground spokesperson do this - "We are sorry to announce that Emma Clarke's contract has been permanently delayed."